Humidifier



May 30, 1939. N. RUBY 2,160,678

HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 7, 1938 Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT ortica HUMID'IFIER y Norman Ruby, Stratford, Ontario, Canada I Application February 7, 1938, Serial No. 189,113

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in humidiers, and the object of the invention is to devise a humidifier which will utilize the hot gases in the outlet ue leading to the stack for vaporizing the water in the humidifier or may employ a gas or electric burner for this purpose, in which a maximum extent of heating surface is provided and a minimum quantity of water brought into contact with such surface so as to bring about rapid vaporization of the water, in which the heat supplied will be always under control, in which the formation of lime on the wallsV of the humidifier is reduced to a minimum, which may be readily cleaned from time to time, from which there will be a ready outlet for exploding gases and from which soot or any other matter collecting in the heating chambers thereof may readily be withdrawn. The invention consists essentially of an outer heating chamber having diametrically opposite inlet and outlet openings throu-gh which the hot gases from the furnace pass as they enter and pass out of the heating chamber, an inner water chamber spaced from the walls of the heating chamber and having an inlet leading through the bottom of the heating chamber, and an outlet for the vapor leading through the top of the heating chamber. The water chamber comprises upper and lower cylindrical chambers connected withinQ their circumference by a tube and. at their circumference by segmental tubular portions forming diametrically opposite slotted openings for the passage of the gases entering the heatin-g chamber, a damper for closing the slotted. opening adjacent the outlet opening of the heating chamber, a water supply duct leading to the inlet of the water chamber, ribs extending from top to bottom of the heating chamber and across the interspace between the heating chamber and the water chamber, as hereinafter more particularly described.

Fig. l is a perspective view of my humidifier, a fragmentary portion of a furnace wall, and a grating to which the humidifier is connected, the

- insulating cover being removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the humidifier and taken on line 2-2 Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 taken on line 3 3 Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan through my humidilier.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View through the heating chamber as shown in Fig. 2 with the Water chamber and other parts removed.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on line 6-6 Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of the water chamber on the same scale as Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional fragmentary detail of the 5 central portion of the water chamber showing heat absorbing discs mounted on the central water tube.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan sectional detail showing a filler member for one of the segmental 10 water tubes.

In the drawing like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the diierent views. The heating chamber I of the humidifier is provided with the inlet 2 connected to a furnace, 15 1 a fragmentary portion of which is indicated at 3 (Fig. 1) and an outlet 4 to which a pipe (not shown) leading to a chimney stack is connecte-d. The upper end of the chamber I is provided with an annular ange 5 provided with an exterior 20 annular rim 6. The lower end of the heating chamber is provided with a depending tube 1.

Within the heating chamber I is supported a water chamber, the walls of which are in spaced relation to the walls of the heating chamber.

The water chamber comprises a circular dished portion 8 from. the edge of which extends an annular flange 9 provided with a rim Ill fitting on the iiange 5 and within the rim 6 of the heating chamber. chamber is in the form of an inverted dish Il provided with a cover I2 secured thereto. The cover l2 is provided with a depending tubular portion I3 provided with an annular iiange I4 which is secured to the lower end of the heating chamber so that the tubes 1 and II are in axial alignment.

Between the dished portions 8 and II extends a pipe I5 more or less centrally thereof and segmental shaped diametrically opposite tubes IS r A water supply pipe 2l feeds Water into the tank 28, the in-flow through the pipe 21 being controlled by a float controlled valve 29. 30 is a pipe leading from the tank 28 to the tube 1.

3l is a vent pipe for preventing the formation 55 l The lower portion of the water 30 of a vacuum and thus ensure that a free water flow is maintained. Ihe lower end of the tube 1 is provided with a closure plug 32 which may be removed to permit the flushing out of the water tank.

A flap valve 33 is provided to permit of the withdrawal of soot and to form a safety outlet to permit the blowing out of exploding gases. Ribs 34 extend from top to bottom of the heating chamber at diametrically opposite points and between the interior of the wallof such chamber and the exterior of the vwall of the Water chamber.

When the humidifier is in operation, the gases entering from the furnace through the inlet y8 pass into the centre of the Water chamber around the pipe I5 and against the interior of the seg'- mental pipes I 6 and I '1. The gases also pass between the segmental pipes I6 and I1 and the interior face of the heating chamber I until 'they strike the ribs 34 which direct them downward to pass beneath the lower end of the water chamber and kthen upward on the opposite side of the ribs to the gas voutlet 4 leading to the stack. I

'Ihe water -level in the upper dished portion 8 of the Water chamber and in the tank 28 are the same. -Such levels dropping simultaneously so as to operate the iioat controlled valve 29 rto a1- low more water to enter from the pipe 21.

In Fig. 8 Ihave shown the pipe I5 surrounded by a pile of spaced apart copper discs 35` which absorb the heat of the gases and aid in heating the water `in the pipe I5.

Whena lgreat heat is not-available inthe heating chamber I, the body of water in the tubes 34 may be reduced by :inserting filler members 36 leaving -a thin sheet -of water between each'filler and the walls-of the tube 34 in which vit is inserted for heating. The inlet `2 is provided with a branch pipe 38 for supplying cold yair to the inlet to regulate the heat of the gas entering the humidifier, the amount of cold airsupplied beingV controlled by the valve 39. VIn order to retain' the heat within `the heating chamber I I provide it withan insulating cover 31.

If found desirable the water chamber maycontain closely packed fragments of porcelain or other similar material to decrease the body of water and thereby make it more readily subject to heat.

In rooms of apartment houses where humidication from the furnace cannot be depended on, the water pipe I5 may be placed at one side so as to allow the insertion of a gas or electric heater into the bottom of the heating chamber below the Water chamber, the heat from which serves to 'vaporize the water, the inlet 2 and outlet 4 being either dispensed with or provided with closing covers.

. What I claim as my invention is:

Ll. In a humidifier, a cylindrical heating chamber insertable in a pipe connection between a 'furnaceoutlet and stack and having diametrically opposite inlets and outlets in its upper portion, a water chamber comprising inwardly dished vends and segmental tubular portions connecting such dished ends at their'circumference Land forming between them Ycliametrically opposite slotted openings, a closing Valve for the slotted open-ing adjacent to the heating chamber outlet, covers for the dished ends, va water supply pipe leading into the lower dished end, and a vapor outlet pipe leading from the upper dished end.

2. .Ina humidier, a cylindrical heating chamber linsertable in -a pi-pe connection between a furnace outlet and stack and having a diametrically opposite inlet and outlet in its upper portion, a water chamber vcomprising inwardly dished ends and vseg-mental .tubular portions spaced apart at each side of the diameter and connecting such dished-ends at their circumference, a cover for each dished portion, a Water supply pipe leading finto the `lower dished portion, a vapour outlet pipe leading from the -upper dished portion, and means for either directing the gases diametrically Ibetween the segmental portions from the inlet Yto the outlet or vinto contact with the interior -and exterior walls of such segmental portionsas they pass from the inlet to the outlet.

NORMAN RUBY. 

